Rumsfeld is still in the hot seat. And, for better or worse, our President is still supporting him...even praising him. "I'm the decider, and I decide what's best," Mr. Bush said in the Rose Garden. "And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense." In an attempt to steer away from my general annoyance at such statements as these from W, I will say that the President does get to decide who stays on his staff. Well, at least on paper he does. As usual, W is willing the bear the slings and arrows of outageous fortune for his mates. But where does it stop? Is it worth this time and effort? Yes, Rummy is paraded about with Generals and others in support of him. That's great. But it seems as if every other day there is another accusation, another point of discord. Was there ever a Secretary who faced such adversity and criticism? Why won't W let Rummy step down? The man must be tired.
Hu is in Seattle. You bet he is. If the Chinese President is going to go on a business tripp to the US, Seattle will always be his first stop. Here's why:
At Microsoft headquarters Monday, Lenovo Group Ltd., which last year bought IBM's personal computer assets, signed an agreement valued at $1.2 billion to pre-install Windows on its computers made in China. It was the third of three recent deals by large Chinese computer makers to put licensed Windows software on PCs before they hit the streets...Trade with China was worth more than $20 billion last year to Washington state. On a per capita basis, Washington does more business with China than any other state -- and its total trade is exceeded only by California and Texas, said Joe Borich, executive director of the Washington State China Relations Council.It seems Bill Gates will solve America's political troubles with China by investing in them. Investing is a curious word. Bill will invest. Eventually, the Chinese will hold a large enough interest in Microsoft that through this one megacorporation and its Guru, any attempt at open warfare will destroy both economies. Well, something like that.
Finally, there was this article on the Pope.
Today, as Benedict marks his first anniversary as pope, the liberals are still unhappy. But so are some conservative activists.And this may be the strongest statement about Benedict we get. You see, to me this only underscores the Liberal/Conservative religious divide in the US. Ratzinger is not a centrist. He's Catholic. He's an intellectual powerhouse who does not choose sides. It is simply a sad reflection on American religious life that it appears that neither the press nor the poles get this. Posted by tripp at April 19, 2006 06:06 AM"Among those who greatly admired Cardinal Ratzinger and were elated by his election as pope, there is a palpable uneasiness," the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, an influential conservative, wrote recently in the journal he edits, First Things.